


Chocolate & Kisses

by robindrake93



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: 4+1 Things, Aged Up Percy Jackson Character(s), Fluff, M/M, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:07:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24084820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robindrake93/pseuds/robindrake93
Summary: Hermes offers Percy a kiss.
Relationships: Hermes/Percy Jackson
Comments: 19
Kudos: 218





	Chocolate & Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> Had a really bad week this week in regards to my health (I did not catch the plague) so I wrote some really indulgent fluff to counteract that.
> 
> Rated T because Hermes' dick is mentioned. I had to google nylon running shorts and the first model I got...well. Those shorts sure do hug the body.
> 
> Do not reupload. My fics are not for reposting.

I. Summer  
Sunlight dappled our skin as it filtered through the yearling trees surrounding the north and south sides of the amphitheater. I sat on the white marble floor, back against a stone bench, facing the west. 

The children of Apollo surrounded me.

Will Solace was the closest, sitting cross-legged on the bench behind me. His gentle hands braided my hair, threading it through with ornate golden beads. I couldn’t see precisely the type of braid Will was creating but I knew it was loose and free hanging for comfort rather than tight and close to my scalp for battle. There were no wars for the moment. 

Directly across from me sat Kayla Knowles, her acoustic guitar across her lap. Her fingers moved easily along the strings, plucking musical notes with confidence. She spent most of her time looking down at what her hands were doing but the few times she lifted her gaze, she met my eye and smiled. 

Austin Lake was on my right, laid out on his belly. His hands cupped his face and his bent legs swung back and forth. He hummed along with Kayla’s music. 

“I will fight / I will fight for you / I always do until my heart / is black and blue,” I sang. My song didn’t at all match the time the Apollo kids were making but we never planned these things. 

Kayla immediately changed the tune to pick up the song. It was unclear if she knew the song already or if she was just good at guessing. 

When I was a child, I’d thought my singing voice was terrible thanks to some really mean mortal kids in school. Now I was an adult and I knew better. Children of Poseidon couldn’t have bad singing voices. “And I will stay / I will stay with you / we’ll make it to the other side / like lovers do.” 

Austin drummed on the marble floor with his sneakered feet, easily matching the rhythm. 

I closed my eyes, just enjoying the beautiful summer day and the company of my fellow demigods. “I’ll reach my hands out in the dark / and wait for yours to interlock / I’ll wait for you / I’ll wait for you.”

Will paused braiding my hair to start clapping his hands in time to the song. 

“Cause I’m not givin up / I’m not givin up, giving up / no, not yet / even when I’m down to my last breath / even when they say there’s nothing left / so don’t give up on.”

Will tapped on my shoulder with his shoe. It could have been an accident. It didn’t seem like an accident. 

“I’m not givin up / I’m not givin up, giving up / no, not me / even when nobody else believes / I’m not goin down that easily / so don’t give up on me.” When I finished the verse, I opened my eyes. To my left was a boy sitting next to me. 

The boy looked about my age, twenty, with curly black hair and vibrant, mischievous blue eyes. “Don’t stop on my account,” he said. His voice was familiar. 

By now the others had noticed the stranger in our midst and had fallen silent. 

Will’s hands went back to braiding my hair, threading another bead into it. 

“Lord Hermes,” I greeted the boy, because I would recognize those eyes anywhere, no matter how young he made himself look. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?” 

Hermes’ smile turned smug. “Oh, I was just in the neighborhood and heard that blest voice of yours, Percy Jackson. How could I resist stopping to listen?” 

I smiled. Then I looked at the children of Apollo. They seemed uncomfortable with the presence of the God. It wasn’t every day that a God came to visit us at Camp Half-Blood and it was never for pleasure. They were probably remembering that it has only been two short years since Apollo was given his immortality back. “What do you say, guys? One song for Hermes?” 

Will clapped his hands together once. He looked at his siblings. “We would be honored, Lord Hermes.”

Kayla sat up a little straighter. “Whenever you’re ready, Percy,” she said. 

I sang the first song that came to mind. “Lying here with you / listening to the rain / smiling just to see the smile upon your face / these are the moments I thank Gods that I’m alive / these are the moments I’ll remember all my life / I found all I’ve waited for / and I could not ask for more.”

Being children of Apollo, the God of Music, all of them were pro at acapella. I noticed that they were very careful to stay as background noise to my lyrics. Kayla used her guitar to enhance our voices.

“Looking in your eyes / seeing all I need / everything you are is everything to me / these are the moments / I know heaven must exist / these are the moments I know all I need is this / I have all I’ve waited for / and I could not ask for more.” 

While he harmonized with his siblings, Will put the finishing touches on my hair. He held a mirror so that I could see it. I looked like a Hunter of Artemis...if Hunters were adult men and wore gold instead of silver. 

I gave Will a thumbs up. “I could not ask for more than this time together / I could not ask for more than this time with you / every prayer has been answered / every dream I have’s come true / and right here in this moment is right where I’m meant to be / here with you here with me.” 

Hermes watched me so attentively, I’m not sure he even heard the other three. It was like he had eyes only for me, heard only what I was saying. 

I sang the chorus again, unable to pull my gaze away from his. His eyes looked so much like Luke’s that it filled my chest with a bittersweet feeling. 

Hermes cell phone caduceus went off, vibrating in his pocket. 

I gave him a look that said _really?_

Hermes shrugged and ignored it. There was a smile on his handsome face. 

“I could not ask for more than the love you give me / cause it’s all I’ve waited for / and I could not ask for more / I could not ask for more.”  
With the song over, we fell silent. There was the distant sound of clanging metal from the forges, the flap of Pegasus wings overhead, and the lapping of waves against the shoreline. The birdsong was gone, as though they were embarrassed to sing after that performance. 

Hermes had yet to take his eyes off me. If it was any other God, I’d be offended or worried but Hermes was a good friend. 

I stared right back, not even the least bit afraid of offending Hermes. His phone vibrated again. “You gonna answer that?” I asked. 

“It’s not important,” Hermes said dismissively. 

_Dionysus on the line,_ Martha said.

“If Dionysus wants to talk to me, he can damn well walk over here,” Hermes said with an eye roll. 

_Did you bring rats, Percy?_ George asked. 

“Fresh outta rats,” I replied. I shifted so that I could knock my sneaker against Hermes' leg. “Did you actually just come to listen to me sing?”

Hermes leaned forward. His blue eyes sparkled. “Does a man need a reason to enjoy the presence of another?”

I leaned forward too, grinning. “He does when he’s a troublemaker like you.”

Other people would have been smited for a comment like that. Hermes just put a hand to his chest in mock outrage. His eyes were still friendly, playful, a smile still on his face. “Why, Percy, I’m offended that you think so poorly of me.” His grin turned wicked. “But now that you mention it, I would like to give you something. For entertaining me.”

I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. “My, aren’t you a charitable God.”

“I like to think so,” Hermes agreed. It was unclear if he caught my sarcasm or not. He scooted closer to me, until our faces were only inches away. “So, in exchange for a song, I’d like to give you a kiss.”

The moment Hermes said _kiss_ , I pictured every bad thing that had ever happened to the people who kissed Gods. Then I thought of every bad thing that had ever happened to the people who _refused_ to kiss Gods. I just stared at him, caught with indecision. Which would be worse? 

Hermes' smile never faltered as he watched my face. “Close your eyes, Percy,” Hermes suggested.

I did, with a lot of reluctance, because you don’t disobey Gods. Especially not the God of travel; a very important God for demigods who go on Quests. 

Hermes pressed something into my hand, which wasn’t what I’d been expecting at all. 

I opened my eyes. In my palm was a Hershey kiss, wrapped in silver foil and perfect except that half of it appeared to be missing. “Thank you?” I said as I examined it. “Er, where’s the other half?”

Hermes opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue. The other half of my kiss sat on it, sans wrapper. “Kisses are meant to be shared, wouldn’t you agree?”

I was strangely charmed by Hermes’ trick. Carefully, I unwrapped my half of the kiss and put it in my mouth. The chocolate may have looked like Hershey’s but it tasted about a hundred times better. I sucked on it, savoring the flavor. “It’s so good,” I managed. My tongue was covered in chocolate. 

Hermes beamed at me. “I’m glad you think so.”

_Ares on line two,_ Martha said. _He’s threatening war if you don’t pick up._

Hermes sighed. He stood up. “Thank you for the song, Percy.” His outline began to glow.

Quickly, I squeezed my eyes shut and looked away. When I opened my eyes, I realized that it wasn’t just Hermes who was gone; the Apollo kids had left too. Much to my embarrassment, I hadn’t even noticed them leaving. All that was left was the sweet taste of chocolate on my tongue and a fluttering in my stomach. 

II. Autumn  
The leaves that still clung to the trees were bathed in red, yellow, and orange. They were slow to fall but had already coated most of the ground and they crunched beneath my sneakers as I jogged. The skeletal black limbs of the trees reached for the clear blue sky. There was a cool bite in the air that kept me from overheating and promised frost overnight.

When I was a teenager, I did a lot of running for my life. Now that I was an adult, my demigod scent had stabilized and wasn’t quite as strong so I didn’t constantly have monsters chasing after me. Well, that and I didn’t know a monster that wouldn’t at least hesitate before challenging me, if not completely run in the other direction. I ran for pleasure and to stay fit. I didn’t want the kids to outdistance me during training. As a hero, I needed to, well, act like one. 

Even before I heard the footsteps, the back of my neck prickled. I whipped my head around and there was a man coming up behind me. He wore nylon jogging shorts that showed an outline of his dick and my eyes stuck there for a moment. I was checking him out. So what? When I finally dragged my eyes up, it was to see him with the usual New York Marathon t-shirt on. Farther up, I saw that his curls were salt-and-peppered rather than jet black. “Hey old man,” I greeted Hermes, which wasn’t at all how you’re supposed to greet a God. 

“I should smite you for that, Percy Jackson,” Hermes said as he caught up to me. He fell into pace beside me, looking damn near perfect. Not even a little winded, cheeks not even pink with exertion. Hermes looked like a male model for an athlete magazine. 

“I prefer the salt-and-pepper look to the solid black,” I admitted. We jumped over a tree branch that had fallen during the night. I would move it later but for now, I wanted to keep running. I had the wind at my back and a God by my side; and a healthy dose of adrenaline pumping through my system. 

“I didn’t want to spook the kids but you outed me,” Hermes said, giving me a falsely annoyed look. His blue eyes were alight with mischief.

“Whoops,” I said unapologetically. 

We ran in silence for a while, just enjoying the beautiful day and each other’s company. It was nice to have a jogging partner who didn’t want to talk my ear off and could actually keep up with me. 

Ten minutes later, I realized something. “Where’s your caduceus? I haven’t heard it ring at all.”

“I put it on mute,” Hermes said nonchalantly. 

My jaw dropped. 

“Sometimes it’s nice to think about something other than work,” Hermes said, offering me a small smile. Gods didn’t really look tired unless they were actually dying but Hermes looked a little tired in his eyes. The look he gave me said that he needed a vacation. 

“Oh,” I said and left it at that. 

We ran for another twenty minutes, taking a twisting path that I’d made through the woods. It was as secluded as I could manage in a camp that normally held over a hundred kids. This autumn, the off season, that number was down six campers. The trail ended at the forested side of the lake, to a little cove out of view of the Big House. 

I didn’t hesitate to walk into the lake. The water was cold enough to make my breath catch but I adjusted quickly. I wadded until I was deep enough to dunk my head beneath the water. Sure, I could have taken a shower, but this was a faster way to wash off the sweat. 

Hermes watched me from the shore with a look on his face like he was studying a curious, perplexing animal. He smiled when I rejoined him. “There have been so few children of Poseidon in recent memory, I always forget how strange you are.”

Just to be a brat, I shook my head and got water all over Hermes. “Thanks,” I said with a grin. 

Hermes sputtered, then laughed. He rubbed his face dry with the bottom of his shirt, showing off his abs in the process. Gorgeous, really. “I also always forget how bratty his kids are.”

“Me? Bratty? I think you’re mistaking me for someone else.” I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. 

“Uh-huh,” Hermes said. He rolled his eyes. His expression settled into something warm and affectionate. “I’d like to bestow a kiss upon you.” 

“Oh?” I asked, unsure if he was serious about a kiss this time or if I’d get more chocolate. I was kind of hoping for chocolate, since it was too early in the morning for breakfast. My stomach growled it’s agreement. 

Hermes laughed. “Alright,” he agreed and produced half a foil-wrapped Hershey’s kiss. This time, he only presented it to me. 

I plucked the chocolate from his palm, unwrapped it, and popped it in my mouth. It tasted heavenly. I moaned, just a little, before catching myself. 

Hermes looked extremely satisfied. He put the other half in his mouth and sucked on it. 

It was only half of a tiny piece of chocolate but it filled me completely. By the time I’d sucked it into nothing, I was completely full and warm to my toes. “Thank you, Hermes.” I added, “again.” 

Hermes’ smile made his whole face light up with happiness. “I look forward to next time,” he said. “Unfortunately, I’ve got to return to work. Goodbye, Percy.”

“Goodbye, Hermes,” I said. My whole face was red with a blush but I didn’t know why I would be blushing. It was just a run and some chocolate. “Wait, next time?” I asked but Hermes was already gone. 

III. Winter  
Every year without fail, the year-rounders at Camp Half-Blood voted to have a white Christmas and so it snowed on Half-Blood Hill during the winter months. Mostly because it took until late spring to convince Dionysus that we didn’t really need the seasons anymore, thank you. The snow fell to coat the ground and rooftops in a thick blanket of pristine white. It glittered and shimmered with multicolored patches from the Christmas lights that were strung along every roof and railing. 

It was January but we wouldn’t take the lights down until the first day of spring. 

Chiron and Mr. D were at the kitchen table playing pinochle, their game brought inside for the cold season. 

Outside, the kids were building snowmen and playing. They had been banished from the Big House for messing around in the attic and causing a general ruckus. 

I was the only kid not banned, but I also wasn’t a kid and I wasn’t being loud. I sat in the living room; curled up in a big arm chair with a blanket over my legs and a mug of hot chocolate in my hands. Music played low, just a crooning I could barely make out. The fireplace crackled warmly, sounding like an old friend. The mood was so calm, so homey, that I expected to see Hestia at any moment. She enjoyed coming to Camp Half-Blood during the summers and tending to the hearth. 

A third voice drifted out from the kitchen and my heartbeat quickened. I recognized that voice. However, I didn’t get up to greet him. It was far too nice here by the fireplace and I didn’t want Chiron and Mr. D to be around if Hermes decided to bless me with more kisses. 

Soon enough, I heard footsteps coming towards me. They were light and unfamiliar, neither Chiron’s hooves going clipclop nor Mr. D’s slow, heavy gait. Hermes nudged me with his knee. “Scoot over, Percy,” he demanded.

I scooted over as much as I could. There wasn’t a lot of space in the armchair though.

Hermes flopped down, partially on my lap. He leaned against me, the back of his head against my cheek and his legs dangling over the arm of the chair. He let out a groan and I felt all the tension leave his body as he sagged against me. 

For a moment, I debated telling Hermes to piss off but I didn’t really want to get on his bad side. Instead, I shifted to get more comfortable and switched hands so that I could still drink my hot chocolate. 

“Winter is my busiest time of year,” Hermes confided. His head fit nicely in the crook of my neck. “So many people want gifts delivered to their loved ones for the holidays.” 

“Sounds like you could use a break,” I said sympathetically. 

“This is my break,” Hermes said with a yawn. After that, he fell silent. I couldn’t see his face so I wasn’t sure if he was sleeping or not.

You’d think that cuddling with a God would be a lot more stressful than it actually was. It was pretty much like cuddling with any mortal. Except this was a man five thousand years older than me, with the power to destroy my life whenever he wanted to, and he was the dad of my first crush. But no big deal. None at all. I couldn’t exactly tell Hermes to leave, and I did enjoy his company, so I settled down and pressed my cheek against his curls. 

Hermes smelled like new paper and faintly of barnyard animals, which I suppose made sense since he was the God of animal husbandry. Among many, many other things. 

I liked the smell. It was strange but I’d rarely been this close to Hermes in the past. I could count on one hand the number of times I’d actually, physically touched him. Now that I knew his scent, Hermes would never be able to sneak up on me again. Too bad for him. 

Hermes' presence was surprisingly unobtrusive, and was even kind of nice. It’s not like I was lonely, I was just….okay, I was terribly lonely. I hadn’t had a partner in two years, not since Annabeth and I broke up. I missed being with another person. I sipped my hot chocolate to distract myself. 

“You know what goes well with hot chocolate?” Hermes asked sleepily. 

“More chocolate?” I suggested. 

Hermes nodded. “Kisses,” he agreed. He reached back, a half a kiss pinched between his fingers. 

I took it from him, fingers brushing against his. His skin was warm and just the right side of rough from a life of manual labor. Slowly, I pulled my hand back and unwrapped the kiss. I savored it, letting the chocolate melt in my mouth. The hot chocolate wouldn’t taste as good after the kiss, so I set my mug down and wrapped my arm around Hermes. 

“Mm,” Hermes sighed. He seemed as content as a cat. It wouldn’t have been a surprise if he started purring. 

Once I knew I wasn’t going to be turned into a tortoise for holding him, I let myself relax again. I shifted positions, was sideways in the chair now, chest pressed against Hermes’ back. He was a comforting weight, much lighter than I thought a God would be. 

Hermes moved one hand to my thigh, traced patterns into my jeans above the knee. He did it with the slow, unhurried motions of someone who had no where else to be. Stitches appeared where Hermes touched, following the motion of his finger, changing colors seemingly at random. It was neat work though it took a moment to realize that he was tracing the image of his caduceus into my jeans. 

I hoped there was a blessing woven in there. Something to keep me safe. Or at least make my pants invulnerable. It would be nice to have a pair that didn’t get torn up and ruined. Just once. 

“It’s upside down,” I said.

“It doesn’t look upside down to me,” Hermes retorted. 

He was right. It looked correct when I looked down at it. “My apologies,” I said and pressed my cheek against his hair again. The strangest feeling overcame me; I wanted to kiss the top of his head. 

“I’m afraid I have to leave,” Hermes said with a sigh. He made no move to rise. 

I leaned forward and brushed my cheek against his ear. “I’ll be here,” best to specify where when talking to the Gods, “at Camp Half-Blood, when you return.” It could have been a lie but I felt like it was the truth. Whenever Hermes returned, I would be here. 

Hermes swung his legs down to the floor, sitting up and smiling at me. His eyes reflected off the firelight almost green and for once I didn’t think of Luke when I looked at him. He tilted his head to the side. “It’s good to have somebody to return to,” he said. His outline began to glow.

I closed my eyes, and turned my face away for good measure. When I opened my eyes, I was alone in the living room. The fire burned as brightly as before yet I felt very much alone. I sipped my hot chocolate but as I’d suspected, it didn’t taste nearly so good as the kiss I’d shared with Hermes. 

IV. Spring  
Dionysus was always slow to stop the snow and rain from falling on Camp Half-Blood, so we got to enjoy the weather for a little while longer. The spring rain was just cold enough to be too uncomfortable for anyone to want to be out in it. At least, for anyone with half a brain cell. I enjoyed the water in all of its forms and cold rain was no exception. 

Blackjack and I were out riding through the meadows full of colorful wildflowers, via hoof not wing. When his fur was wet, he became a deep, glistening black as though he was made of ink. The rain was cold but it fell lightly, beading in Blackjack’s mane and my hair like gems. _Boss, I smell something,_ Blackjack said. His ears twisted back.

I lifted my nose to the air and breathed in deep. I could smell him but where - 

The air shimmered and Hermes appeared standing beside Blackjack’s head. 

Blackjack reared back, wings fluttering and puffing out nervously. _Whoa! Did you see that?! He just appeared out of nowhere._

“I would kindly ask that you do not give my Pegasus a heart attack,” I said to Hermes. I stroked Blackjack’s neck and felt his pulse hammer against my palm. 

Hermes reached up for Blackjack’s nose and rubbed his palm over it. “Sorry about that,” he said and it was unclear which of us he was talking to. 

Blackjack let Hermes pet him without complaint. His wings went flat again, ears faced forward once more. 

Hermes was slowly getting quite wet, standing out in the rain. I wasn’t sure if he could repel water like I could; not that I was doing it right now. Soon, his t-shirt was clinging to his abs and his shorts were clinging to his thighs. If I could see the outline of his dick before, I could _definitely_ see it now. “Do you mind if I go riding with you, Percy?” Hermes asked.

At first I thought Hermes was going to magic a pegasus out of thin air, or maybe gesture towards the stables. But he only stood there, gently stroking Blackjack’s nose, looking up at me expectantly. Then I got it; he wanted to ride _my_ pegasus. No one rode Blackjack except for me (and Rachel Elizabeth Dare, one time, but I cussed her out good for that afterwards). I struggled to keep my expression neutral. There was no way I could actually refuse to let Hermes ride Blackjack. Finally, I said, “You’ll have to ask Blackjack.”

Hermes directed his gaze back to Blackjack. “Same question, then. Do you mind if I ride you, Blackjack?” 

_Boss, I don’t mind giving him a ride if you don’t mind it,_ Blackjack’s voice said in my head. _And I don’t want to offend a God. He might turn me into a cow!_

“Blackjack and I are cool with it,” I told Hermes. I offered Hermes my hand to help him up, though I didn’t think he needed it. 

Hermes took my hand and very easily swung up onto Blackjack. He sat behind me, the front of his body pressed against the back of mine. Like this, it was even more obvious that he was fit. He really had an athlete’s body, lean and well-muscled. His arms snaked around my waist and settled against my abdomen. 

It was exciting to have someone so close to me, to reverse the cuddling that we’d done months earlier in the winter. “I could dry you off,” I suggested, because I knew that Blackjack and I were literally soaking wet from how long we’d been outside. 

Hermes hummed, mouth close to my ear. I could feel the vibrations of it in my back. “Only if you want to. I won’t get sick from being out in the cold rain.” 

I had never gotten sick from being cold and wet either. “Alright,” I agreed and let the rain continue to soak through us. 

Blackjack had his head, decided where we were going to go. I didn’t need to direct him consciously, a shift in my posture would tell him if I wanted to change direction or speed. He walked around the meadow for a while longer, keeping his gait steady and slow. He was surprisingly quiet and I think it had to do with Hermes on his back. 

Since I didn’t have to guide Blackjack, I was free to let my mind wander. Naturally, my thoughts were entirely focused on the God who had attached himself to me like velcro. I liked the warmth that his presence generated between us. The rain, which was more of a mist, felt good on my face and skin.  
  
Hermes didn’t seem to feel a need to fill the silences between us. He seemed content to just exist in the same space as me. He rested his chin on my shoulder, pushed himself impossibly closer to me, and sighed. It was not the heavy, worried sighs that I used to hear from him. This was a noise of contentment, of utter relaxation. 

I angled my cheek so that I could nuzzle him. Yes, I, Percy Jackson, just nuzzled the god of thieves. It was a quick movement but unmistakable. The truth was, I knew that Hermes had been flirting with me since last summer, whenever he could get away from work long enough to do it. But the idea of hooking up with a God made me nervous, skittish like a colt. It was rare that anything good came from falling into bed with a God. 

Hermes made a pleased rumbling noise in his throat. I couldn’t see his face but I knew he was smiling. 

When I sensed Blackjack beginning to get tired, I directed him back towards the stables. He went happily, stopping in the doorway to let us off. 

I touched his warm flank and suddenly Blackjack was completely dry. “There you go, buddy. I’ll get you something to eat in a minute,” I promised.

_Whatever you say, boss!_ Blackjack whinnied in my head. He sounded amused, as though he didn’t expect me to fulfill that promise. 

I gave him a rueful smile. Maybe I wouldn’t get to it in exactly a minute. I turned towards Hermes and saw him standing in the doorway, watching me and Blackjack. He looked...lonely. Happy but in a bittersweet way, full of longing. Seeing that on his face felt wrong. I wanted to kiss it away but I wasn’t brave enough. Not yet. Just nuzzling him had sent my heart to pounding. Still, I danced over to him, stopped in front of him. We were the same height, which made me smile because of course Heremes wouldn’t let me be taller than him. Gods and their pride. 

“How do you feel about a kiss?” Hermes asked. 

“From you?” I pretended to think about it. “I would like nothing more.” 

The smile alone was worth it. Hermes produced a chocolate and said, “Open up, Percy.” 

I did, and stuck out my tongue for good measure.

Hermes delicately placed the half kiss on my tongue. Then he did the same to himself with the other half. 

I pulled the chocolate into my mouth and couldn’t help the pleased rumble I made. It just tasted so good, all the better because we were flirting and I kind of really liked Hermes. 

For a few moments we were in bliss together, standing close with chocolate in our mouths and the rain pouring down a few feet away. Water dripped off Hermes’ curls and ran down his cheeks. Suddenly, Hermes’ cell phone rang. 

I jumped at the unexpected noise.

Hermes pulled it out and frowned down at it. “I thought I told you to forward all calls to voicemail?” He said to the two tiny snakes that hung off the phone like charms. 

_It’s Zeus, Hermes. He won’t take no for an answer,_ Martha said. She sounded regretful. 

_He’s very insistent,_ George added with a sigh. 

Hermes sighed at the phone. “I’ll call him back shortly,” he said. He lifted his gaze to me. “We must part once again, my dear.”

Did he mean to call me that? My cheeks tinted pink with a blush. “I’ll see you around, Hermes. Don’t be a stranger.”

Hermes gave me a fond smile. “I’ll try not to.” 

“Oh wait!” I said and shot my hand out. I touched his forearm and willed him dry. “I, um, you probably could have done that yourself but, um,”

Fortunately I was saved from stumbling through an explanation by Hermes' bright smile. “I appreciate it, Percy.” His form began to glow again. 

Once he was gone, I heard Blackjack’s voice in my head, _At least he didn’t turn us into cows._

I laughed. “Yeah,” I agreed. “There’s that.” 

V. Summer, Again  
I didn’t see Hermes again for the rest of spring. This was mildly disappointing but not overly surprising. Gods had their own agendas and time meant very little to them. It was summer again and a good portion of the campers had returned for another year. Every returned camper eased a little bit of the worry off my shoulders. 

There wasn’t anything special about tonight, except maybe that it was a full moon. But even that wasn’t overly special, although the moonlight did look lovely rippling over the surface of the canoe lake. The air was warm and carried the smell of ripe strawberries with it. The crickets chirping and snarling monsters in the woods provided a comforting background noise. 

I sat on the dock, toes dipping into the cool water. The harpies knew better than to mess with me and the naiads were sleeping in the middle of the lake, where it was deepest. 

There was no reason in particular, I just had a feeling that tonight would be a good night. As I was wont to do while I had any time to myself, I hummed whatever song I had stuck in my head. There was no guarantee that Hermes would show up tonight, and no reason to think he would. It wasn’t like he called ahead. _Just five more minutes,_ I thought. _Just five more._

Near the end of the song, I began singing. “Come all you pretty fair maids / whoever you may be / who love a jolly sailor / that plows the raging sea.” It was just intuition, at first, but suddenly I could smell him. 

Like I said, once a demigod had a scent, no one could sneak up on us. 

I smiled, briefly, then continued to the next verse. “While up aloft in storm / from me his absence mourn / and firmly pray arrive the day / he's never more to roam.” 

Hermes didn’t make a sound as he came and sat beside me, so close that our shoulders were brushing. He still looked my age but his hair was salt-and-pepper, the light parts almost glistening like silver in the moonlight.

I nudged Hermes in greeting and finished the song, “My heart is pierced by Cupid / I disdain all glittering gold / there is nothing can console me / but my jolly sailor bold.”

We were leaning back on our hands. Hermes inched his hand closer to mine, so that our pinkies were touching. 

I couldn’t help but wonder if he seduced everyone like this. If he was always so slow and sweet with it. 

“I should tell you up front that I’m out of chocolate kisses,” Hermes admitted. 

“I didn’t know Gods could run out of things,” I said conversationally. I squeezed my hand beneath his, just in case I had been reading him wrong. Pretty sure I wasn’t but Gods were fickle creatures. 

Hermes slotted his fingers between mine. He gave a thoughtful hum. “It happens, occasionally.”

Warmth bloomed in my chest. “Maybe for the other Gods but surely not for the God of merchants and thieves,” I said. Then I realized. “You were stealing that chocolate, weren’t you?” 

Hermes made a noise that could be interrupted either way. He lightly squeezed my hand, so gentle for all the strength I knew he possessed. 

“How scandalous,” I teased. 

Hermes laughed. 

“I guess you’ll have to give me a real kiss now,” I continued. 

“Now who’s scandalous, Percy?” Hermes asked with smirk. He was leaning towards me, head tilted for a kiss. 

“Still you,” I murmured against his lips. Then, I shut up and kissed him properly. Our kiss was as sweet and good and, yes, scandalous, as the chocolate kisses had been. The best part about it? There was no limit to these. We could kiss again and again, as much as we wanted.

**Author's Note:**

> I fully, 100% believe that demigods can sniff each other out the same way that monsters do because when Luke found Annabeth, he knew she was demigod before he even laid eyes on her. 
> 
> The songs Percy sings are:  
> [Don't Give Up On Me by Andy Grammer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDwNbi-3O-k)  
> [I Could Not Ask For More by Edwin McCain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yGuy6mcxI0)  
> [My Jolly Sailor Bold](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGPeZUINwkY)


End file.
